Men in their 70s, 80s, 90s and even past 95 will take the courts in Palm Beach Gardens from Monday, November 9, through Saturday, November 14, when the USTA National Senior Men's Tennis Tournament comes to the city's Tennis and Pickleball Center on 117th Court North. The city announced the tournament on November 6, and spectators get in at no charge.

The field draws ranked senior players from around the country. Matches run in both singles and doubles, split into four age divisions: 70 and over, 80 and over, 90 and over, and 95 and over. That last bracket is one most tennis fans will never see in person, and it will be playing a short drive from Northlake Boulevard.

A national event at a city-run center

National championships sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association rotate among host sites, and the Palm Beach Gardens center has become a regular stop. The facility is owned and operated by the City of Palm Beach Gardens through its Recreation Department, which means the courts hosting this week's national draw are the same ones residents book for weekday lessons, league nights and Saturday mixers.

The center has collected a list of honors from the USTA itself. According to the city, it received the 2025 USTA National Outstanding Facility Award, the same national award it first won in 2014. It was also named USTA National Member Organization of the Year for 2019 through 2021 and USTA Florida Member Organization of the Year in 2018.

What is on site

The complex has 20 Har-Tru clay tennis courts, four hard tennis courts and 10 pickleball courts, with lights on every court. There is a pro shop, locker rooms, an on-site racquet stringer, ball machine rentals for both tennis and pickleball, and event space with catering.

The Center Court Cafe, inside the complex, serves breakfast items, soups, sandwiches, salads and flatbreads, along with soda, tea, beer and wine. Posted cafe hours are 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The city notes those hours can shift during special events, so a tournament week is a good time to call ahead.

More than tournaments

Outside of national weeks, the center runs year-round programs for every age and skill level, taught by certified teaching professionals. It hosts USTA leagues and tournaments for both able-bodied and wheelchair players, and it offers wheelchair tennis instruction for youth and adults. Palm Beach Gardens fields 15 women's teams in the Palm Beach County Women's Tennis Association league, from the Open Division through Division 7, plus two A-1 Palm League teams, and the center is home base for 10 men's daytime travel teams.

Volunteers keep a lot of it moving. The city's volunteer program places residents as tournament court monitors, court maintainers, youth teaching assistants, office help, gardeners and photographers. Anyone interested in helping at future events can reach the center by email through the city's website.

Next on the local calendar

Players who catch the senior nationals and want to get on court themselves have a couple of options later this month. The center's Junior Rec Singles tournament for ages 8 to 17 is set for Saturday, November 14, from 11:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with players grouped by ability rather than age. An Adult Singles one-day tournament for ages 18 and up follows on Saturday, November 21, from 11:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Entry for each is $25 for residents, $33 for nonresidents and $24 for passport holders. A Holiday Mixer, a one-day mixed doubles event with lunch, is on the schedule for Saturday, December 19, from 10:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

How to go

The USTA National Senior Men's Tennis Tournament runs November 9 to 14 at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis and Pickleball Center, 5110 117th Court North, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Admission for spectators is free. The center's regular hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and the city says hours may change during special events. For daily match times or court assignments, call the center at 561-630-1180.

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